Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur
Encyclopedia
Mahalingeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the town of Thiruvidaimarudur
in Tamil Nadu
, India
. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a lingam
in this temple. The temple is considered to be one of the six most sacred places dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where four of the most revered Nayanars
(Saivite Saints), Appar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar and Tirugnana Sambandar
have glorified the temple with their songs.
grants, and many records of the later Nayaks and Marathas.
and an enthralling campus. There are 5 temple tanks inside the temple, namely Karunyamirdha Theetham, Soma Theertham, Kanaga Theertham, Kalyana Theertham and Iravatha Theertham.
and was in turn, pursued by his spirit(Brahmahatthi), is associated with the temple. The Chola prince, it is believed, entered the Mahalingeswarar Temple and prayed to his favourite God Shiva
for relief from the clutches of the spirit of the dead Brahmin or "Brahmahatthi". The Chola prince made his way out through another entrance thereby saving himself. It continues till day where people take the second entrance after worship.
Temples) and the specialty temples are as under the list:
Thiruvidaimarudur
Thiruvidaimarudur is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town contains the Mahalingeshwarar Temple, a Hindu shrine.-Geography:...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a lingam
Lingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
in this temple. The temple is considered to be one of the six most sacred places dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where four of the most revered Nayanars
Nayanars
The Nayanars or Nayanmars were Shaivite devotional poets of Tamil Nadu, active between the fifth and the tenth centuries CE...
(Saivite Saints), Appar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar and Tirugnana Sambandar
Campantar
Tirugnana Sampantar was a young Saiva poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived around the 7th century CE....
have glorified the temple with their songs.
History
The temple at Thiruvidaimarudur is over 2,000 years old and is associated with the Pandya king Varaguna Pandian. The temple contains inscriptions of the Hoysala kings and some VijayanagaraVijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
grants, and many records of the later Nayaks and Marathas.
Temple
The temple has a 5-tier RajagopuramGopuram
A Gopuram or Gopura, is a monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of any temple, especially in Southern India. This forms a prominent feature of Koils, Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. They are topped by the kalasam, a bulbous stone finial...
and an enthralling campus. There are 5 temple tanks inside the temple, namely Karunyamirdha Theetham, Soma Theertham, Kanaga Theertham, Kalyana Theertham and Iravatha Theertham.
Legend
The legend of a Chola prince who killed a BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
and was in turn, pursued by his spirit(Brahmahatthi), is associated with the temple. The Chola prince, it is believed, entered the Mahalingeswarar Temple and prayed to his favourite God Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
for relief from the clutches of the spirit of the dead Brahmin or "Brahmahatthi". The Chola prince made his way out through another entrance thereby saving himself. It continues till day where people take the second entrance after worship.
Specials
According to legend, the Saptha Vigraha moorthis(Seven prime consorts in all SivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
Temples) and the specialty temples are as under the list:
| Deity | Temple | Location |
| Nataraja Nataraja Nataraja or Nataraj , The Lord of Dance; Tamil: கூத்தன் ;Telugu:నటరాజ is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation... |
Chidambaram Nataraja Temple | Chidambaram Chidambaram Chidambaram is a fast growing industrial city in Eastern part of Tamil Nadu and the taluk headquarters of the Cuddalore district. It is located in 58 km from Pondicherry, 60 km from Karaikal, and 240 km south of Chennai by rail... |
| Chandikeswarar | Tirucheingalur Temple | Tirucheingalur |
| Vinayagar | Vellai Vinayagar Temple Thiruvalanjuli Kabardeeshwarar Temple (Vellai Vinayagar Temple) The Swetha Vinayagar Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the village of Thiruvalanchuzhi near Swamimalai in Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India... |
Tiruvalajuli |
| Muruga | Swamimalai Murugan Temple Swamimalai Murugan Temple Swamimalai Murugan Temple is a Hindu temple located in the township of Swamimalai, 5 km from Kumbakonam on the banks of a tributary of river Cauvery, 250 km from Chennai and is near to Thanjavur in India.-Arupadai Veedu:... |
Swamimalai Swamimalai Swamimalai is a panchayat town near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It lies on the banks of river Cauvery, on the road connecting Kumbakonam and Thiruvaiyaru. It is most famous for the being one of the six "Padai Veedugal" of the Lord Murugan. The name of the... |
| Durga Durga For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion... |
Thenupuriswarar Temple | Patteswaram Patteswaram Thenupuriswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the holy village of Patteeswaram, Tamilnadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Tirugnana Sambandar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.-The Temple:... |
| Bhairava Bhairava Bhairava , sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji , Kaala Bhairavar or Vairavar , is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation... |
Sattainathar Temple Sattainathar Temple, Sirkazhi Sattainathar temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Sirkali, Tamilnadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classifed as Paadal Petra Sthalam.... |
Sirkali |
| Navagraha Navagraha Graha is a 'cosmic influencer' on the living beings of mother Bhumidevi . In Hindu astrology, the Navagraha are some of these major influencers.All the navagraha have relative movement with respect to the background of fixed stars in the zodiac... |
Sooriyanar Temple | Suryanar Kovil |